While you’re exfoliating your way into glowing skin with a peel pad, your body skin desperately needs attention with an elephant graveyard of dead skin flakes all over it. Some may choose to rely on the skin’s natural cycle to get rid of dead skin cells.
But if you’re dealing with back acne, keratosis pilaris (KP), or hyperpigmentation, you might want to take matters into your own hands with some help from body peels. Keep reading to learn about at-home body peels, their benefits, and the best ones to try.
What Are Body Peels?
Body peels are skincare treatments designed to exfoliate from the neck down, much like facial exfoliants and peel pads. They use chemical exfoliants such as glycolic acid, lactic acid, and salicylic acid to dissolve dead skin cells.
And some formulas also include physical exfoliants for added smoothing. By breaking down the bonds that hold dead skin cells together, body peels help reveal fresher skin underneath, improving texture and reducing hyperpigmentation.
Benefits of Body Peels
By exfoliating your skin, body peels remove dead skin cells, smooth out flaky skin, and reduce keratosis pilaris. And because of exfoliation, they eliminate ingrown hairs and razor bumps and soften rough skin texture.
Body peels, especially the ones made with salicylic acid, unclog pores and reduce acne on the back, chest, and arms. They also help with skin discolorations such as acne scars, and dark spots.
They boost hydration and glow, making your body lotions and creams absorb better and work better, Moreover, peels made with exfoliants like glycolic acid are anti-aging. They stimulate collagen production and help firm and tone the skin.
This can be beneficial in treating and preventing stretch marks as well. Although professional glycolic acid peels will be more effective in getting rid of stretch marks, there’s no harm in trying an at-home peel first.
Until then, find below the best body peels you can use at home.
Best Body Peels
1. Dr. Dennis Gross Alpha Beta Exfoliating Body Treatment Peel
If you’ve used a peel pad for your face, then you know the struggle of trying to use it on your body. If you’re lucky, you can use that tiny pad on your neck and chest before it completely dries out. The best part about a body peel is that it is, well, for your body.
This one is one big peel pad you can comfortably wipe all over the legs, chest, and back. The body peel is soaked in two alpha-hydroxy acids (AHAs), namely glycolic acid and lactic acid. It also has salicylic acid in it. So it multi-tasks big time. You can use it to target KP or to get rid of flakiness in general. It also helps with back acne and stubborn acne marks.
Key Ingredients: Glycolic acid, lactic acid, salicylic acid
Size: 8 counts
Good To Know: Cruelty-free
2. StackedSkincare TCA Lactic & Glycolic Body Peel
This one has a super minimal formulation. Plus, it’s super lightweight and feels just like a serum. The highly concentrated liquid body peel doesn’t hydrate or moisturize. It simply, but thoroughly, exfoliates! The multi-acid formula contains glycolic, lactic, and salicylic acids.
It also contains trichloroacetic acid as well as phytic acid, which are both exfoliants. It’s effective in getting rid of razor bumps and strawberry legs, ingrown hairs, as well as dry, rough patches. It’s a leave-on treatment, so you can go to bed with it and wash it off the next morning.
Key Ingredients: Glycolic acid, lactic acid, salicylic acid, phytic acid
Size: 5 oz/150 ml
3. Neostrata Glycolic Renewal Smoothing Lotion
This is an AHA body lotion with a concentration of 10%. It’s basically an exfoliating glycolic acid moisturizer for your body. You get to get rid of dead skin cells while giving your body a boost of hydration. The lotion is free of fragrance and oil. So it’s non-comedogenic.
The peeling lotion is a lifesaver for winter skin when you’re dealing with skin flakes all over. It’s also great for summer skin when sweat and humidity build up on the skin and give you congestion. Slather on to refine textured skin and lighten dark patches and pigmented spots.
Key Ingredients: Glycolic acid, citric acid
Size: 6.8 oz/200 ml
Good To Know: Oil-free, fragrance-free
4. Paula’s Choice Skin Revealing Body Lotion 10% AHA
Whether you’re following an anti-aging routine or just actively dealing with congestion, this exfoliating anti-aging body lotion is going to give your body a makeover. It boosts collagen production and helps even out the skin tone.
Besides glycolic acid to retexturize body skin, it’s packed with antioxidants to target sun damage, wrinkles, roughness, and bumps. Because it has vitamins C and E as well as antioxidant-rich green tea. Apply all over on clean skin to boost moisture with shea butter.
Key Ingredients: Glycolic acid, vitamin C
Size: 7 oz/210 ml
Good To Know: Fragrance-free, cruelty-free
5. DERMAdoctor KP Duty High Potency Daily Body Peel
This is an exfoliating body peel pad that’s equally hydrating. It contains glycolic and lactic acids for smoother skin texture and has naturally derived salicylic acid to clear up acne. It also has gentler exfoliants like polyhydroxy acids, and phytic acid to minimize discolorations, and green tea to calm irritation. These peel pads can work very well for darker skin tones.
Darker skin tones, due to hyperactive melanin cells, tend to be more prone to hyperpigmentation. So even if you’re trying to get rid of dark spots with peels, there’s a chance you can make things worse with a peel because of potential irritation. That’s why a rinse-off formula like this one can work better on deeper skin tones as it won’t be as irritating as a leave-on treatment may be.
Key Ingredients: Glycolic acid, salicylic acid, lactobionic acid
Size: 10 counts
Good To Know: Hypoallergenic, cruelty-free
6. Pixi Glycolic Body Peel
This is one of the most affordable body peels out there. You can use it to reduce blemishes or lighten up discolorations. Or you can use it to simply scrub away the dead layer to increase the absorption of your skincare products. It’s made with the glycolic and lactic acid combo to break off dead skin cells while boosting clarity.
The peel has a lotion-like texture but it needs rinsing off. It is enriched with ginseng to boost circulation, aloe to calm, and cucumber to hydrate. It’s an overall effective and budget-friendly body peel to get started on the trend.
Key Ingredients: Glycolic acid, lactic acid
Size: 6.8 oz/200 ml
Good To Know: Cruelty-free
7. PCA Skin Body Therapy
Lactic acid is the one usually recommended for people with sensitive skin both because it’s gentle and because it has additional benefits. So using it alone, without pairing it with glycolic acid, can give you that gentle exfoliation while you tap into its unique benefits. Besides polishing the skin, increasing radiance, and reducing flakiness, lactic acid also boosts hydration as it works as a humectant as well.
That’s why this 12% concentration body peel is great for dry, sensitive skin types to smooth away surface dead skin cells while replenishing the skin. Its moisturizing base made with shea butter, hyaluronic acid, and gluconolactone promotes softer and smoother skin all over without irritation.
Key Ingredients: Lactic acid, gluconolactone
Size: 7 oz/198 gr
Good To Know: Cruelty-free
So these are some of the best body peels you can try at home to achieve smoother skin all over. To get the most out of your body peel, try dry brushing before showering. It can amplify the effects of your exfoliation.
If you’ve never tried one before, here’s how to use a body peel.
How To Use a Body Peel
1. Use on Clean Skin
Always check the instructions for the product to see if it’s a leave-on treatment or a rinse-off peel! You can use a peeling lotion after you’ve showered. Apply evenly on clean, dry skin and leave it on. If it’s a rinse-off peel, apply it on clean skin and rinse it thoroughly with lukewarm water. Remember, you can use a body peel all over the body but also as a spot treatment for back acne or chest acne.
2. Mind the Frequency
Just like face peels, body peels can cause a tingling sensation right after application, which usually goes away. But using peels too often can cause irritation and redness that won’t go away. Avoid over-exfoliation by using your body peel 1-2 times a week. And don’t use a body peel on freshly shaved, waxed, or lasered skin.
3. Moisturize & Protect
Peels can cause dryness. Remember to apply a moisturizing body lotion after you use your peel. And know that exfoliants can make the skin prone to sunburn. So protect your skin with SPF and protective clothing, especially during hot summer weather.
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